Selective Bibliography of Books About the History of the Isles of Shoals

Selective Bibliography of Books about the History of the Isles of Shoals

Prepared by Ann Beattie

General Shoals History

Bardwell, John D. The Isles of Shoals: A Visual History. The Portsmouth Marine Society, Publication 14. Published for the Society by Peter E. Randall, Publisher. Portsmouth, NH, 1989 (out of print).

 A chronicle of the history of the Shoals with many photographs from a former UNH Special Collections librarian

Cann, Donald and Kadlik, Gail. Isles of Shoals (NH) (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing, 2007.

 Historic images of the Shoals with brief explanatory text

Cann, Donald, Kadlik, Gail and Galluzzo, John. The Isles of Shoals Through Time. America Through Time, 2020.

• Historic images of the Shoals with brief explanatory text

Rutledge, Lyman V. The Isles of Shoals in Lore and Legend. Barre, MA: Barre Publishers, 1965; Boston: Star Island Corporation, 1971.

 Classic history and legends

Rutledge, Lyman V. Ten Miles Out, Guidebook to the Isles of Shoals, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Boston: Isles of Shoals Association, 1997.

 In-depth guide to each island; natural & cultural history; historical timeline

Whittaker, Robert H. Land of Lost Content. Dover, NH: Alan Sutton Publishing, Inc., 1993 (out of print).

 History of the Seacoast and the Shoals from a former tour boat Captain

University Art Galleries. A Stern and Lovely Scene, A Visual History of the Isles of Shoals. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire Press, 1978 (out of print).

 Extensive photographs and history

Specific Aspects of Shoals History:

Barron Bailly, Austen and Coffey, John (Eds.) American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals. Peabody Essex Museum, 2016.

 Beautiful reproductions of Hassam’s Shoals work accompanied by current photographs

Boutelle, Annie (introduction). Island Light, Isles of Shoals. Blue Tree, 2006.

 Color prints of historical and contemporary paintings of the Shoals with excerpts from “Among the Isles of Shoals” by Celia Thaxter

Cann, Donald and Kadlik, Gail. Isles of Shoals (NH) (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing, 2007.

 Wonderful historic images of the Shoals with brief explanatory text

Cann, Donald and Kadlik, Gail. Star Island (Images of America. Arcadia Publishing, 2015.

 Historic photographs of Star Island during the conference era with brief explanatory text

Curry, David Park. Childe Hassam, An Island Garden Revisited. Denver Art Museum in association with W.W. Norton & Co., 1990, reprinted 2005.

 Childe Hassam’s art on Appledore during the resort era

Downs, John W. Sprays of Salt, Reminiscences of a Native Shoaler. Peter E. Randall Publisher, 1997

 A first-hand account of life on the Shoals in the late 19 th century; originally published in 1944

Laighton, Oscar. Ninety Years at the Isles of Shoals. Beacon Press, 1930. Portsmouth, NH: The Star Island Corporation, 2003.

 Resort-era reminisces from Uncle Oscar, Celia Thaxter’s brother

Jenness, John Scribner. The Isles of Shoals: An Historical Sketch. Hurd & Houghton, 1873. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1915

 Fishing era history of the Shoals from a Victorian era viewpoint

Kingsbury, John M. Here’s How We’ll Do It. Ithaca, NY: Bullbrier Press, 1991.

 The story of the Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore by its founder

Mason, Caleb (editor & introduction). The Isles of Shoals Remembered: A legacy from America’s First Musicians’ and Artists’ Colony. Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc., 1992 (out of print).

 Reproductions from the 1901 daybook of William Mason, the famous musician and frequent guest of Celia Thaxter on Appledore

McGill, Fredrick T. (Ed.). Letters to Celia. Boston: The Star Island Corporation, 1972.

 Cedric Laighton’s letters to his sister Celia Thaxter narrating events on the Shoals during the resort era

McGill, Fredrick T. and McGill, Virginia F. Something Like a Star. Boston: The Star Island Corporation, 1989.

 A history of Star Island during the Conference Era along with personal memories of the authors; references to the Resort Era

Pearson, Edmund. Murder at Smutty Nose: and Other Murders. Doubleday, Page & Company, 1927 (out of print.)

 Seventy pages about the murders at Smuttynose in 1873

Randall, Peter E. and Burke, Maryellen (Eds.). Gosport Remembered, The Last Village at the Isles of Shoals. The Portsmouth Marine Society, Publication 23. Published for the Society by Peter E. Randall, Publisher. Portsmouth, NH, 1987, reprinted 2002 (out of print).

 Photographs and history of the Shoalers in the village of Gosport on Star

Robinson, J. Dennis. Mystery on the Isles of Shoals: Closing the Case on the Smuttynose Ax Murders of 1873. Skyhorse Publishing, 2014.

 Well researched and compelling coverage of the 1872 murders on Smuttynose Island

Robinson, J. Dennis. Under the Isles of Shoals: Archaeology and Discovery on Smuttynose Island. Portsmouth Marine Society, 2012.

 History of the fishing era of the Isles and a report of the contemporary archaeology dig on Smuttynose Island

Rutledge, Lyman V. Moonlight Murder at Smuttynose. Boston: Star Island Corporation, 1958, 1988.

 Pamphlet about the 1873 Smuttynose murders

Williams, Lois. Illustrated by Bobby Williams. Religion at the Isles of Shoals: Anglicans, Puritans, Missionaries, UUS, and UCCS . Peter E. Randall, Publisher, 2006.

 Extensively researched chronicle of the ministers that served at the Isles

Celia Laighton Thaxter:

Mandel, Norma H. Beyond the Garden Gate, The Life of Celia Laighton Thaxter. University Press of New England, 2004.

 Well researched, in-depth biography of Celia Thaxter

Stephan, Sharon Paiva. One Woman’s Work, The Visual Art of Celia Laighton Thaxter. The Portsmouth Athenaeum in association with Isles of Shoals Historical and Research Association. Portsmouth, NH: Peter E. Randall, Publisher, 2001.

 Photographs and extensive commentary on Celia Thaxter’s art and china painting

Thaxter, Rosamond. Sandpiper, The Life and Letters of Celia Thaxter. Portsmouth, NH: Peter E. Randall, Publisher, 1999.

 Biography of Celia Thaxter by her granddaughter, Rosamond Thaxter

Vallier, Jane E. Poet on Demand, The Life, Letters and Works of Celia Thaxter. Portsmouth, NH: Peter E. Randall, Publisher, 1994.

 Study of Celia Thaxter and her writing

Celia Thaxter’s Writing

Thaxter, Celia. Among the Isles of Shoals. Boston: J. R. Osgood, 1873; University Press of New England, 2003.

 Compellation of articles originally published in the Atlantic Monthly; descriptions and anecdotes of the Shoals written by Celia Thaxter

Thaxter, Celia. An Island Garden. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1894; Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2002.

 Celia Thaxter’s in-depth tribute to her garden on Appledore; illustrated by Childe Hassam

Thaxter, Celia. Letters of Celia Thaxter. Edited by Her Friends, A.F. and R.L. (Annie Fields and Rose Lamb), Houghton Mifflin, 1895.

 Letters written by Thaxter to various friends with news of Shoals happenings

Older, Julia. Celia Thaxter: Selected Writings. Hancock, NH: Appledore Books, 1997.

 Excerpts from the major works of Celia Thaxter with a profile of the writer by the editor

Titus, Donna Marion (Ed.) By This Wing: Letters by Celia Thaxter to Bradford Torrey. Manchester, NH: J. Palmer, 1999 (out of print).

 Of interest to birders; Celia Thaxter’s correspondence with a leading birder of the time

Vallier, Jane E. The Poems of Celia Thaxter. Peter E. Randall, Publisher (out of print).

 Collection of Thaxter’s poems with commentary